Ferrari has arrived at Monza ready to give everything in front of the Tifosi as it targets a strong result at its home Italian Grand Prix. The weekend also celebrates the legacy of Michael Schumacher, 30 years after his 1996 Monza victory, but there is a clear awareness at Maranello that this will not be an easy event for the SF-26 given the characteristics of the circuit.
There is still hope inside Ferrari that, as already seen this season, a venue that appears unfavourable on paper can produce an unexpected result. Silverstone and Spa are examples of circuits where the SF-26 was not expected to shine, yet Ferrari still delivered surprising performances. At Monza, aerodynamic efficiency and engine power will be particularly important, also because of FIA decisions affecting battery recharge during the season.
Ferrari ADUO-2 engine upgrade arrives at Monza
Ferrari has worked hard to ensure its evolved Power Unit could make its debut with ADUO-2 at the Italian Grand Prix. The engine department has spent months on the programme and reached the necessary targets before approving an updated unit which, as previously reported, features a new turbocharger assembly.
The evolved 067/6 has been designed to recover part of the power deficit separating Ferrari from the strongest Power Units in Formula 1. The ADUO-2 turbo upgrade is therefore intended to improve more than simply peak output, with Ferrari also seeking better efficiency and stronger performance across the straights.
The second ADUO token has brought a broader package of refinements and should allow the Power Unit to maintain its output more effectively and deliver better performance at high speed. Its debut has also resulted in the homologation of Ferrari’s fourth engine of the 2026 season.
However, the upgrade is expected to perform its role without the dramatic emphasis that has surrounded some reports in recent weeks. The level of excitement attributed to Ferrari’s engine department has not been fully reflected internally.
Ferrari remains cautious over ADUO-2 performance gains
At the factory, the mood is instead one of cautious optimism mixed with hope. Ferrari believes it has extracted the maximum possible from the development programme, both in terms of the available time and the performance achievable within the existing constraints.
The work has also been completed without the support of a strategic partner such as Shell for this particular step. There will be no new fuel specification on the 067/6, even though fuel development is not subject to the same budget or research restrictions and can therefore provide an additional source of horsepower and efficiency for engine manufacturers.
That distinction is important when evaluating the true scale of Ferrari’s Monza Power Unit step. The update is aimed at making the SF-26 more competitive on a circuit where straight-line efficiency is particularly important, but it is not being treated inside Maranello as a transformational leap.
Ferrari ADUO-2 gain estimated at around 5–6 horsepower
For that reason, Ferrari’s second engine evolution is not expected to deliver the 10–15 horsepower increase that had been suggested in some earlier estimates.
Instead, information gathered from people close to Ferrari and confirmed by personnel within the team points to an increase of around 5–6 horsepower from the new Power Unit.
That is not a dramatic gain, but it still represents a useful step for the SF-26 as Ferrari attempts to close the gap to its rivals. At Monza, even a small increase in available power can be significant, especially when combined with improved exhaust efficiency and the demands of the circuit’s long full-throttle sections.
The engine update forms part of a wider effort to maximise the SF-26 package for the Italian Grand Prix. Ferrari has also been working on Monza-specific aerodynamic efficiency, making the relationship between Power Unit performance, drag reduction and straight-line speed particularly important this weekend.
Ferrari therefore arrives at its home race with a genuine technical step, but without expectations of a dramatic overnight transformation. ADUO-2 should give the SF-26 a few more horsepower and improve its ability to sustain performance on the straights, while the real measure of its value will come when Ferrari pushes the fourth 2026 Power Unit harder during the Monza weekend.
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